Back in 2017, Eluveitie released their non-metal album Evocation II: Pantheon, which was the follow-up to 2009’s acoustic effort, Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion. It was also an introduction to new members Matteo Sisti, Michalina Malisz, Alain Ackermann, Jonas Wolf, and Fabienne Erni as Merlin Sutter, Ivo Henzi, and Anna Murphy left the group back in 2016 and formed a new project Cellar Darling.
Finally, two years after their latest acoustic effort, today (17th), the group have announced their upcoming metal album Ategnatos will arrive on April 5th via Nuclear Blast. Based on their heavier efforts, one can call it the follow-up to 2014’s Origins as the group admitted this has been their longest gap between two metal records.
The band’s mastermind Chrigel Glanzmann commented:
“This one almost became something like a socio-critical uncovering work, some kind of a revelation, a doomsday prophecy. Dark and severe in its atmosphere and charisma, and also occult, arcane and elitist. The image, of course, is blood-curling. At least to those with eyes to see. Ategnatos is the Gaulish word for ‘reborn. To the sharpened mind, it points out the concealed, long forgotten key to change and renewal. There’s always suffering before bliss. And always darkness before light.”
The record is based on old archetypes, and the ancient concept of renewal as it showcases these archetypes within people can prove humans haven’t changed in the last 3000 years. Ategnatos is expected to carry a darker and monumental tone than their prior efforts while still sounding like Eluveitie.
The album was recorded in their New Sound Studio with engineer Tommy Vetterli. Jens Bogren mixed the album in his Fascination Street Studios, which happens to be the same location where the group mixed their acclaimed 2008 effort Slania.
The Swiss folk metal giants plan to reveal the cover artwork in the next coming days as they urge fans to check out theirInstagram starting tomorrow (18th).
